Lomandra plant named LM600

ABSTRACT

‘LM600’ is a distinctive cultivar of  Lomandra  Labill. which is characterized by the combination of a short plant height, a weeping growth habit and fine-textured, dark green foliage. The new variety propagates successfully by division and tissue culture and has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Australian Plant Breeders Rightsapplication number 2014/248, filed on Oct. 16 2014, which is hereinincorporated by reference.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosedherein is Lomandra Labill.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The inventive variety of Lomandra Labill. disclosed herein has beengiven the variety denomination ‘LM600’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety ofLomandra Labill., which has been given the variety denomination of‘LM600’. Its market class is PLT/373. ‘LM600’ is intended for use inlandscaping and as a decorative plant.

Parentage: ‘LM600’ is a seedling selection resulting from anopen-pollination and seedling selection process carried out by theinventor at his commercial breeding facility in Clarendon, NSW,Australia. In early spring of 2010, a fine-leafed female LomandraLabill. breeding line, developed by the same inventor, was grown inclose proximity to other male breeding lines developed by the inventorand also with the commercial cultivar Lomandra longifolia ‘LM300’ (U.S.Pat. No. 15,420). These plants were allowed to openly pollinate. Inearly summer of 2010, seed was collected from the female breeding line.In spring of 2011, said seed was germinated and, of the progeny, sevenseedlings that exhibited fine-textured foliage were isolated for furtherobservation. Later in 2011, one of these plants was selected for itscompact size and fine foliage when compared to the female parent andother progeny. This new and distinctive cultivar was given the name‘LM600’.

Asexual Reproduction: ‘LM600’ was first asexually propagated in early2012 by division of the plant's crown in Clarendon, NSW, Australia andhas since been asexually reproduced by meristematic tissue culturepropagation. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘LM600’variety have proven to be stable through five generations and clones soproduced maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the originalplant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These characteristics, incombination, distinguish ‘LM600’ as a distinct cultivar of LomandraLabill.:

1. ‘LM600’ exhibits a short plant height; and2. ‘LM600’ exhibits a weeping growth habit; and3. ‘LM600’ exhibits fine-textured foliage; and4. ‘LM600’ exhibits dark green foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The FIGURE illustrates, as true as is reasonably possible to obtain incolor photographs of this type, an exemplary ‘LM600’ specimen ofapproximately 12 months of age in a 400 mm (approximate) nursery pot,grown at a commercial plant breeding facility in Clarendon, NSW,Australia.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of a Lomandra ornamental plant known as ‘LM600’. Plantobservations were made on plants grown in Clarendon, NSW, Australia.Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosed herein are basedupon observations made in September 2015 of 30 month old ‘LM600’ plantsgrown outdoors from rooted cuttings in 250 mm nursery pots filled withsoilless potting media, maintained with granular slow release fertilizerand regularly watered with overhead irrigation. No pest and diseasemeasures were taken.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, younger plants. ‘LM600’ has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety mayvary with variations in the environment such as season, temperature,light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like. Colornotations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, 2001 edition. Note that genericcolor descriptions such as ‘green’ do not exist in the R.H.S. charts andthe corresponding R.H.S. colors are quoted.

A botanical description of ‘LM600’ and comparisons with the seed parentand several similar varieties of common knowledge are provided below.

-   General plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Grass-like perennial with arched foliage;            rhizomatous plant forming a dense tussock.        -   Reproduction.—Dioecious; male of the species.        -   Height.—25 cm as measured.        -   Width.—80 cm as measured.        -   Bloom period.—Spring.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 8 to 11.        -   Propagation.—Propagation is accomplished by dividing the            crown of the plant and also by way of meristematic tissue            culture propagation.        -   Crop time.—Time to develop a rooted cutting is approximately            8 weeks, from division. An average crop time is            approximately 6 to 9 months to produce a mature and            marketable 1-gallon nursery container, beginning with a            rooted cutting.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Shade and drought tolerant.        -   Pest and disease susceptibility or resistance.—In common            with the species, none of note.-   Roots: Similar to other Lomandra, ‘LM600’ has a large root    structure; roots are fibrous and spreading.-   Rhizomes: Short (1.5 cm to 3 cm); rhizome color with the leaf sheath    removed is white (RHS 155C); surface texture of the rhizome is    smooth.-   Foliage:    -   -   Type.—Evergreen.        -   Shape.—Linear; grass-like.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Whorled around an indistinguishable culm.        -   Apex.—Tridentate. The leaf apex may become locally necrotic            in response to moisture stress.        -   Base.—Sheathed attachment to the culm.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Mature leaf dimensions.—1.8 mm wide and 400 mm long, on            average. The leaf is generally a uniform width, narrowing            only slightly from base to apex.        -   Juvenile foliage color, adaxial & abaxial surfaces.—146A.        -   Mature foliage color, adaxial & abaxial surfaces.—146A.        -   Venation.—Parallel.        -   Vein color, adaxial surfaces.—Indistinguishable from            surrounding foliage.        -   Vein color, abaxial surfaces.—Indistinguishable from            surrounding foliage.        -   Texture, adaxial surface.—Glabrous; smooth with light            glaucosity.        -   Texture, abaxial surface.—Glabrous; smooth.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Racemes containing small clusters of male flowers;            some flowers are sessile to the rachis while others are            borne on pedicels of varying length.        -   Natural flowering season.—Heavy blooming in spring; sporadic            in summer and fall.        -   Overall dimensions.—Up to 260 mm long, including the            peduncle and rachis.        -   Quantity.—Very floriferous; inflorescences may potentially            arise from every shoot.        -   Peduncle.—Dimensions — Up to 160 mm long and 2 mm in            diameter. Attitude — Semi erect to drooping. Strength —            Strong. Texture — Smooth. Color — 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Dimensions — Up to 10 mm long and 1.25 mm in            diameter. Strength — Strong. Texture — Smooth. Color — 145A.-   Bud:    -   -   Dimensions.—Approximately 2 mm long and 2 mm wide.        -   Bud shape.—Rounded.        -   Bud color.—10B.        -   Rate of bud opening.—Slow.-   Flower:    -   -   Shape.—Cupuliform; cup-shaped.        -   Persistence.—Non-persistent.        -   Aspect.—Erect.        -   Fragrance.—Non-fragrant.        -   Perianth.—Calyx — Shape — Ovate. Dimensions — Approximately            1 mm. Color — 10B. Texture — Smooth. Sepals — Arrangement —            Alternate. Quantity — Three. Margin — Entire. Apex —            Aristate. Base — Obtuse. Texture — Smooth. Sepal color,            immature, upper surface — 165D. Sepal color, immature, under            surface — 165D. Sepal color, mature, upper surface — 165D.            Sepal color, mature, under surface — 165D. Corolla —            Arrangement — Alternate; petals unfused. Dimensions —            Approximately 2 mm in diameter and 4 mm deep. Petals —            Quantity — Three. Arrangement — Alternate. Dimensions —            Approximately 1.5 mm long and 1.0 mm wide. Shape — Ovate.            Margin — Entire. Apex — Acute. Base — Obtuse. Texture —            Smooth. Color when opening, upper side — Nearest to 150D.            Color when opening, under side — Nearest to 150D. Color when            fully opened, upper side — 10B. Color when fully opened,            under side — 10B. Bracts — Shape — Needle-shaped. Length —            range in length from 6 to 9 mm. Apex — Acute. Margin —            Entire. Color — 160D.-   Reproduction organs: Not observed.-   Seed: Flowers are male; seed is not produced.-   Comparisons with the parent plants: Plants of the new cultivar    ‘LM600’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, a fine-leafed    female Lomandra Labill. breeding line, by the following combination    of characteristics: 1. ‘LM600’ exhibits a shorter plant height when    compared to the seed parent. 2. ‘LM600’ exhibits a weeping growth    habit, whereas the seed parent exhibits an arching growth habit. 3.    ‘LM600’ exhibits dark green foliage, whereas the seed parent    exhibits blue-green foliage. 4. ‘LM600’ exhibits foliage of finer    texture when compared to that of the seed parent.-   Comparisons with the most similar variety of common knowledge:    Plants of the new cultivar ‘LM600’ may be distinguished from the    commercial variety, Lomandra sp. ‘Lime Divine’ (not patented), by    the following combination of characteristics: 1. ‘LM600’ exhibits    dark green foliage, whereas ‘Lime Divine’ exhibits light    yellow-green foliage. 2. ‘LM600’ exhibits a short plant height of    approximately 25 cm, whereas ‘Lime Divine’ exhibits at plant height    of approximately 50 cm.-   Plants of the new cultivar ‘LM600’ may be distinguished from the    commercial variety, Lomandra sp. ‘Frosty Top’ (not patented), by the    following combination of characteristics: 1. ‘LM600’ exhibits dark    green foliage, whereas ‘Frosty Top’ exhibits greyed-green    foliage. 2. ‘LM600’ exhibits a short plant height of approximately    25 cm, whereas ‘Frosty Top’ exhibits at plant height of    approximately 50 cm.-   Plants of the new cultivar ‘LM600’ may be distinguished from the    commercial variety, Lomandra sp. ‘Fine n Dandy’ (not patented), in    that ‘LM600’ exhibits a short plant height of approximately 25 cm,    whereas ‘Lime Divine’ grows to approximately 80 to 120 cm:

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of LomandraLabill. named ‘LM600’, substantially as described and illustratedherein.